STOP POLK COUNTY FROM KILLING FERAL CATS
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The County went in this morning and removed all shelters
and dismantled feeding stations at Saddle Creek Park.
The County has the opportunity to take the most
effective and humane action now, but they are not. They
have begun their plan to try to starve the cats to
death. They have created this problem by not enforcing
Parks Ordinance preventing “dumping” of animals and now
want to enforce ordinances against citizens being humane
to these animals. The bottom line is that removal of the
cats or attempted starvation of the cats will not solve
the issue. Properly managed TNR programs, like the one
being run by Feral Fanciers, will solve the issue at no
expense to the taxpayers of Polk County. If you are
angry about this now is the time to SPEAK UP.
They County will listen to the protests of the citizens
more than they are listening to us. Contact the people
below and tell them how you feel. Forward this email to
others and encourage them to speak up to. THE ONLY
WAY TO SAVE THESE CATS IS TO SPEAK UP.
It is time for all of us to contribute our time and voice to helping the cats. TNR IS THE ONLY HUMANE SOLUTION TAKE ACTION NOW! Let these people know that you want the only effective and humane solution for feral cats in Polk County:
Letter to the Editor:
voice@theledger.com
Tom Palmer: tom.palmer@theledger.com Tom Palmer Blog: Cat Colonies on Public Lands Parks and Recreation Jeff Spence, Director Michael Callender, Parks and Recreation Manager County Manager
County Commissioners:
Bob English,
Commissioner ALL: Office Address: 330 W. Church Street, Bartow |
A letter to the county commissioners from WeCATS Corp
November 22, 2011
To whom it may concern,
The plan to starve the cats in Saddle Creek Park is outrageous and society will not tolerate the cruel behavior of killing innocent animals simply because it is a cat.
Feral cats are the most victimized wild animal in this country and targeted for abuse because most people do not know the facts. In spite of the efforts of hundreds of organizations and feral cat advocates to educate the public and dispel the myths and misunderstandings, little has changed with respect to the treatment of these animals.
If the park was over run with squirrels would you set out to kill them too? The cats are the victims here; the “people” that dump them are the ones that should be punished.
Polk County is not the only county faced with this situation and this is certainly not the first time the subject of feral cats has come up.
There is a solution you know? One would think after all this time someone in your administration would say, “hey let’s research this and see if there’s something we can do to help be part of a “real” solution.
This practice of trap and kill has been going on for hundred’s of years. And guess what? There are still millions of free roaming feral cats being euthanized every year for no other reason then because it is a cat. IT DOESN’T WORK!
THE TRUTH ABOUT FERAL CATS
Feral cats live outdoors. Feral cats are members of the domestic cat species, but are not socialized to humans and are therefore not adoptable. Cats have been living outdoors near humans for more than 10,000 years. They typically live in groups called colonies and have strong social bonds with their colony members
Feral cats are members of the domestic cat species, but are not socialized to humans and are therefore unadoptable. Feral cats lead healthy, natural lives on their own, content in their outdoor home.
MYTH: Feral cats are unhealthy and carry infectious diseases that threaten owned cats and each other.
FACT: Feral cats are generally in good health. The incidence of disease in feral cat colonies is no higher than among owned cats.
MYTH: Feral cats cannot be eliminated using non lethal methods.
FACT: An established, long-term TNR program can reduce feral cat populations in both the short and long terms.
Removing animals from an area creates a vacuum.
Catching and killing feral cats is animal control’s traditional approach for feral cats. Catch and kill attempts may temporarily reduce the number of feral cats in a given area, but two things happen: intact survivors continue to breed, and other cats move in to the now-available territory. This is a phenomenon known as the vacuum effect, and it is documented worldwide.
Catch and kill doesn’t work, Yet it continues.
Animal control agencies have been catching and killing cats for decades in a misguided attempt to reduce the number of feral cats in a given area. Animal control continues to practice catch and kill even though the number of outdoor cats does not decrease, proving the futility of these practices. This endless, cruel cycle is not supported by the public and is a gross misuse of tax dollars. The vacuum effect is just one reason catch and kill is so ineffective.
Trap-Neuter-Return does work.
This program involves humanely trapping, spaying or neutering, vaccinating, and returning cats to their outdoor homes. There are no more kittens; the population stabilizes.
And the returned neutered cats’ lives are improved.
Behaviors and stresses associated with pregnancy and mating, such as yowling or fighting, stop. Not only does Trap-Neuter-Return make good sense, it is also a responsible, humane method of care for outdoor cats.
You can make a difference and save lives.
A TNR program, feeding stations/shelters and volunteer caregivers will eliminate all of these nuisances creating a better community.
That is why it works!
Diane Merlo
President
WeCATS Corp